Where to buy azalea's

[astroboy76]

Hi people,

Does any one know a good nursery in Sydney that sells large starter stock of jurume or satsuki azalea's?

[Scott Roxburgh]

It depends on your idea of large stock? I have previously bought from bonsai south and i am sure ray would have some too. The biggest i have bought was only about 25mm across so they are not huge!

That would be my suggestion.

ps mine were satsuki

Scott.

[MelaQuin]

Azaleas are a 'Search' item. Most nurseries have shitty stock... healthy but thin. Yet if you do Flower Power and the like at this time of year and look at bases I know of enthusiasts who have brought home some excellent trunks from standard stocks. Rural nurseries are another good source but you may have to kiss a few frogs before finding your prince [or princess]. Riverview has old azalea stock but you would be lucky to know what flower you were getting and again, its a case of looking at the bases of a lot of stock. They have some larger plants near the front drive and those could be going at less than last years $50 each but root pruning will be hard and you have to take care as they would be badly root bound, ant infested and there could be dead trunks that mess up the base when you clear away the unwanted branches.

I have found both Nesci and Bonsai Environment's azaleas too dear for small ones. Bonsai South has better value for money but I have not seen a good trunk. Imperial Bonsai [Megumi Bennett] has some azaleas with interesting trunks - not huge but better than Flower Power. What she has left now I don't know but two weeks ago there were about 6 or 8.

I am going to take a punt and see if I can swap one of my frantically flowering azalea bonsai stock plants with abundant and beautiful flowers a bit too large for a shohin for a karume in someone's front garden. All they can say is no but at least I could get rid of this plant and get one with suitable flowers. So take a walk around a few neighbourhoods and see if you can see something in the ground.

[Pup]

I would look up any nursery that specialises in Rhododendrons Azaleas and Camellias in your area.
Do not tell them you want them for Bonsai.
They are already expensive enough. Look for ones with single trunks. Good luck Pup

[kcpoole]

Yeah Quite hard to find any decent sized stock. You will have to be lucky if you do tho. and if you do then please let me know

[astroboy76]

Bunnings, of all places had some rather large stock. not sure of the type of azalea but it has small white flowers. the trunks and branch structure was bad though. thought if i had to hack it right back then it sorta defeats the purpose of buying a large one lol